Elvis Presley's film career has often been viewed as a wasted opportunity, but at least a third of his efforts broke away from what was to become the typical formula of girls, fights, and blithe songs. Several of these films even showed Elvis off to his full potential. One that fully captured the mood, the music, and the mores of its era was Jailhouse Rock. Anecdotes concerning the Jailhouse Rock recording sessions and filming have been oft repeated over the years. Here I would like to instead examine the intricacies of the final product. Not only is it among the best Elvis Presley movies, but it also may just be one of the most potent films of its era. Is there any other film that so succinctly captures the rebellion of early rock and roll? Right before your eyes you can see the changing of the guard.

Unlike most cinematic ventures from the fifties and sixties addressing the rock and roll phenomenon, Jailhouse Rock wasn’t a teen movie. Sure, Elvis’ name on the marquee was going to bring his young fan base in, but this was a movie made for a mature audience. The thematic sensuality and violence wasn't watered down - this was an intelligent movie that never took on the condescending tone of most Presley films. Not once is Elvis’ accent or southern manner attacked. His character Vince Everett was not a sophisticate, but he was nobody’s fool. Everett was not some kid, but a full- grown man who drank and bedded women. Being that this was shot in 1957, the sexual chemistry between Vince and the various females he came across wasn’t handled in a tawdry way, but neither was sex presented as something that would lead to instant ruin...